W. Visayas’ most wanted man nabbed in Antique

By Jennifer P. Rendon

Another wanted person was arrested in Antique province early morning of March 3.

Police collared Lito Joseph Balestramon after he disembarked from a motorbanca at Centro Poblacion, Culasi town.

The 21-year-old suspect came from his residence in the coastal village of Batbatan when he was arrested.

Major Mona Guia Menez, Culasi police chief, said the victim was supposed to take part in the town’s fiesta on March 4.

Members of Culasi Municipal Police Station, the Regional, Antique Police Provincial Office, and Maritime Police Station-Antique, collared Balestramon by virtue of an arrest warrant for three counts of rape docketed in Criminal Case Numbers 23-C-021-CR, 23-C-022-CR, and 23-C-023-CR.

No bail was recommended for his temporary liberty.

Menez said the suspect was accused of sexually molesting a teenager in 2021. The case was belatedly reported, thus, it was only filed last year.

Balestramon became the region’s “most wanted person” following the arrest of another Antiqueño on March 2 in Hamtic, Antique.

Jun Marie Calderon, 44, was nabbed at his home in Barangay Poblacion 4, Hamtic,

He is accused of seven counts of qualified rape in Criminal Case Numbers 2023-02-10367 to 2023-02-1037,

No bail bond was set for provisional freedom.

Before Calderon, the Antique police also collared one of the region’s most wanted on February 23 at Caluya, Antique.

Orlyn Lucena, 41, a welder of Semirara Mining Corporation, was arrested at his home in Barangay Semirara, Caluya.

The suspect was accused of nine counts of rape for sexually molesting a kin.

Balestramon, Calderon, and Lucena are now detained.